Resident Endothelial Progenitors Make Themselves at Home

Vascular endothelial cells adapt to their microenvironment and physiological demands to perform many essential functions. Recent studies (McDonald et al., 2018; Wakabayashi et al., 2018) suggest that quiescent endothelial stem/progenitor cells reside within blood vessels and are activated in response to injury, suggesting they can be harnessed for therapeutic applications. Vascular endothelial cells adapt to their microenvironment and physiological demands to perform many essential functions. Recent studies (McDonald et al., 2018; Wakabayashi et al., 2018) suggest that quiescent endothelial stem/progenitor cells reside within blood vessels and are activated in response to injury, suggesting they can be harnessed for therapeutic applications.